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Le Mesnil Gonfroy
Hambye, Normandy
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We fell in love with this house as soon as we saw it. Until recently the house of the village doctor, it oozes character with masses of old beams, tiled floors and a monumental stone fireplace in the drawing room. The gardens are really beautiful and surround the house. The front lawns have magnolia and cherry trees, and those behind are shaded by a cider apple orchard. Tall French windows lead from each ground floor room on to the south-facing terrace – a real suntrap and a lovely place to sit and enjoy the gardens with a glass of local cider or calvados followed by a game of boules.
This stunning ancient honey coloured stone farmhouse is peacefully set in an acre of mature gardens with lawns running down to a magnificent private heated swimming pool. The surrounding countryside is Normandy at its best, apple orchards, spotty Normandy cows and yet all less than 1/2 hour away from sandy beaches that never seem to get crowded.
Each pretty village seems to have its own restaurant, some simple, others superb, all excellent value. If you like locally reared beef or fresh fish and shellfish in all its guises you are in for a real treat.
Nestling below the house is a magnificent 10m x 5m heated salt water swimming pool. The pool is set on the lower lawn, out of sight of the house and very private. The poolside terrace faces south and traps the sun for most of the day; sunloungers and furniture are provided.
The lower lawn is fenced and lockable and there is an alarm which can be set if the pool is left unattended. The pool can be easily reached with either a pram or a wheelchair, and is open from May to the end of October.
Nearby Hambye (3km) is the morning excursion for croissants and fresh, warm bread. There is also a good small supermarket, and several other shops including a bank. The village has two good bar/restaurants and a weekly pannier market. The renowned "Abbée Hambye" restaurant can be reached on foot along a winding drove from the house.
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Ground Floor
Very well equipped kitchen with hob, oven, dishwasher, microwave, fridge freezer, arch to lovely breakfast room with exposed stone walls and farmhouse table. Huge beamed drawing room with enormous stone fireplace (all logs provided). Beamed dining room with beautiful oak table for 14. Hall, shower room with twin beds and en suite bathroom and shower room. All suitable for disabled guests. Laundry with sink, washing machine and tumble dryer. Games room with table tennis. Full, oil-fired central heating throughout. TV, video, garden furniture, gas BBQ.
First Floor
An oak staircase leads from the drawing room below. Double bedroom with king size bed and en-suite shower/WC. There is a second double bedroom and two more bedrooms both have twin beds, bathroom with shower, bath and WC.
A secondary staircase rises from the hall (with its shower room with WC) to a large landing from which leads a huge bedroom with three single beds, (room for extra bed if required) cots and high chairs available.
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